Thank You, Come Again
by FatesMistake
Summary: Severus runs into the last person he expects whilst dining in London. What is Harry Potter doing, working as a waiter in Muggle London? Of course, the real question is: why can't Severus get the impossible jigsaw puzzle of the Boy Who Lived out of his head? Warning, Sev gets just a little stalker-y. SSHP Rated Kplus just in case. Little bit of language, but nothing bad.
1. Chapter 1

Severus was sitting in a restaurant in London when his afternoon was interrupted by the last person he'd ever expected to see again.

"Harry, could you take table twelve's order? I've got to take table nine's food back for the second time, and he's been waiting for close to twenty minutes."

"You should have said something to me sooner, Bonehead." Severus looked up at the sound of that voice. "This is why you get so few tips. I'll handle twelve, but you're finishing out the tab. If Josh finds out I helped out in someone else's section again when we aren't in a rush, he'll take my head off."

"You bet, Harry. And thanks."

Severus watched the approach of the Wizarding Savior, dressed in the restaurant's uniform white button-down and crisp black slacks. Potter didn't even falter as their eyes met, only continued to his table. Severus closed his book soundly.

"Potter, what're you-"

"Good afternoon, Sir, would you like to hear our lunch specials?" The brat interrupted.

Severus frowned. "No, I've already decided on the clam chowder."

Potter smirked, pulling a pen and pad from his pocket. "I don't recommend it, sir. We don't make fresh until the evening rush. What we do have was made a few hours ago, and it barely resembles a chowder anymore."

Severus couldn't help smirking as well. "Then what do you recommend?"

Potter gestured to his closed menu. "May I?"

"Please," Severus said, pushing the plastic-covered list towards the younger wizard.

Potter smiled and leaned over the menu, flipping it open and running his finger down the first page. "I don't think you're a fish kind of guy," He mumbled, looking the menu over.

"I am not," Severus confirmed.

"Here!" Potter said triumphantly, pointing to a dish on the second page. "Chicken marsala. It's my personal favorite, and I'd recommend it to anyone with discerning tastes such as yourself."

Severus considered this. He rarely ate anything that was cooked with wine if he didn't prepare it himself, since most restaurants either boiled it down too much, or not enough. Potter seemed to read his hesitation as if he'd spoken aloud.

"I can personally guarantee that you'll like it, or I'll comp the meal myself. I'm actually the one who taught Bert, the chef on shift, how to make it properly, so if it's wrong, then I'd be honor-bound to take full responsibility," The former Gryffindor promised.

"Very well, Mister Potter," Severus said, closing the menu again. "You've convinced me. I'll have the chicken marsala, with a side of steamed spinach."

Potter wrote this down on his little pad. "Very well, sir, and would you like your potato baked or mashed?"

"Which do you prefer?" Severus asked. He actually found this somewhat fun, interacting with his former student as if they had never met.

"Oh, I would definitely go with the mashed, sir," Potter said. His mask of professionalism appeared to be slipping, as he looked ready to chortle laughter.

Severus nodded. "Then mashed it shall be."

Potter grinned, letting some of his laughter show on his face. "Very well, sir. We'll have that out to you in a tick." He started to walk away, but Severus reached out and touched his arm, halting his steps.

"Potter…" Severus began in a low tone. "What are you doing here? I find it hard to believe the Savior of our world has had any trouble finding a job, or even that you need the money."

Potter shrugged, dislodging Severus' long-fingered hand. "I like it here, actually. I'm finally normal. I rarely get wizards in here, and no one else knows who I am."

As if to prove him wrong, a girl, also dressed in the restaurants uniform, scurried towards him. "Harry!" She moaned in a whining whisper. She gave Severus a nervous smile before grabbing her fellow waiter and leading him slightly away from the table. "I'm so sorry! I thought this was your section today, so when Josh asked me what you were doing, I-"

"Potter!"

Severus watched the whispering duo cringe simultaneously.

"I'm so sorry, Harry!"

The girl scurried away again as a man about Severus' age, who the Potions Master took to be Josh, came out of the back looking thunderous. He marched past the tables without even glancing at his patrons and came to a stop in front of the Wizarding Savior. Potter didn't seem to mind at all when the man pushed his face into his.

"What have I told you about covering your colleague's tables? How can I look for incompetency if you're constantly picking up the slack?" The man demanded, loud enough that it drew the attention of half the restaurant; the half that hadn't already been staring at him, wide-eyed, after his sudden and angry appearance, that is.

"Josh, you're scaring the customers," Potter pointed out calmly.

"Hang the-"

"Josh!" Potter said sharply, his tone never rising.

The older man had enough intelligence to look ashamed. Luckily, the restaurant only had two handfuls of patrons on this late afternoon, so there weren't too many to scare. Severus smirked at how well Potter was handling his superior.

"Now, I know we've talked about this, but I had planned to come to you later, in the hopes you might make an exception this one time," Potter told the man, smiling. "I wasn't covering for anyone, I _asked_ for this table. You see, I know this man."

Severus straightened as muddy brown eyes turned to look at him uncertainly.

"You know him?" Josh asked querulously. "You don't look related."

Potter chuckled. "Oh, I hardly know him _that_ well. No, Mister Snape is…well, let's just say he's an old family friend."

Severus snorted at the implication. Technically, he _had_ known both Lily and James Potter, but he hardly counted as a family friend, since his friendship with Lily had dissolved in their Fifth Year, and he and Potter Sr. had been mortal enemies almost from the moment they'd met.

Josh grunted, tilted his head in acknowledgment to Severus, and turned back to Potter. "Fine, I'll let it slide this once. But get back to your section."

Potter mock saluted, making Josh scowl impatiently as he moved back to the back of the restaurant, presumably to some back office. The former Gryffindor turned back to Severus, grinning.

"See, no one would dare treat me like that if I worked in Diagon Alley, or even Knockturn Alley," He joked. Severus smirked. "I'll have your order out soon, Professor. Though, I think Marcus, the waiter you had before, will be the one to bring it to you. I apparently need to get back to my section."

Severus gave a nod of acknowledgment and watched his former student retreat through a nearby swinging door.

 _-Break-_

In the end, it _was_ Marcus who eventually brought Severus his food, though it took longer than it perhaps should have. Severus wound up enjoying it as much as promised, and though it pained him to do it, gave his waiter a generous tip. Though, he did not give this tip when he closed out his tab. Marcus' shift ended before Potter's did, and Severus carried his bill over into another's shift to remain.

Something about Potter had sparked his interest during their short interaction. He couldn't say if it had been the easy way Potter had addressed him, as if they didn't have years of mutual loathing between them, or if it had perhaps been how easily Potter had handled his superior as if he were his inferior, but something had him remaining at his table long after his meal was finished. He sipped at a supposedly bottomless cup of coffee (he saw the bottom more than once while in the care of 'Marcus', but didn't again once the boy had been replaced by another) for close to three hours. Finally, he saw Potter come out of the back with a shoulder bag. He was glad to have a new waitress by this point, as she closed out his bill succinctly, taking a quarter of the time it would have taken good old Marcus. He hurried out of the restaurant, his finished book in hand, and caught up with Potter near the corner.

"Professor?" Potter asked, looking over at him as he came up beside him. "What're you doing here?"

"I was waiting for you," Severus answered. This wasn't what he'd wanted to say, but he could hardly claim he'd only just finished eating, and nothing else came to mind in the moment.

Potter scoffed, his good humor from earlier gone. "Why?"

"You intrigue me," Severus said honestly.

The Gryffindor had the gall to roll his eyes. "Sure. Years of verbal torture, and _now_ you're intrigued. And if I buy that, you've got some coastal real estate for sale in Arizona, right?"

Severus raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Some American saying I picked up from a couple tourists a while back, at the restaurant," Potter excused. "Now really, what do you want?"

"I assure you, Mister Potter, I want nothing from you," Severus insisted.

Potter frowned. "Good," He said sternly. "I'll see you around, Snape."

And with that he was gone, having disapparated on the spot. Severus frowned as well, looking around him, and realized he'd allowed himself to be led into an alley. He didn't know what he'd expected of the conversation, but it had definitely not gone as planned. He had hoped to ask Potter to get coffee (not that he would be very willing to drink anymore this evening, himself), perhaps engage the puzzling young man in a conversation. The friendliness that he'd witnessed earlier had surprised him, and made him, for the first time ever, actually want to get to know the son of James Potter. Said young man obviously did not feel similarly.

With a scowl of determination (Severus would be the first to admit he could be incredibly stubborn when he got something into his head) he turned back towards the restaurant. He was going to have a discussion with Potter's manager. If Potter didn't want to talk, he would just have to put up with being watched until Severus grew bored, or satisfied his curiosity, whichever came first.


	2. Chapter 2

Severus watched Gryffindor's Golden Boy for a week before he started to notice a trend that, rather than satisfy his curiosity, dragged him further into the mystery. Potter worked a schedule that didn't differ too greatly from his fellow wait staff, certainly less hours than the two managers, yet he seemed to generally be in charge. Whenever his coworkers became lost or overwhelmed, he would subtly step in, guide them, and return to his work as if he had done nothing. The managers, particularly the acerbic Joshua, berated him ceaselessly for 'covering' for his colleagues, but never offered threats of unemployment, for him or the people he covered.

Potter appeared to secretly _run_ the restaurant as if he were the real manager on his shift, rather than one of the two with the special gold name tags that rarely strayed from the back office. This befuddled Severus, because it didn't look as though anyone else at the restaurant, employee or patron, took any notice of this unusual power play. Once, Severus had even arrived to the restaurant a good hour before Potter's shift began, and had _witnessed_ a real shift in authority. Before the young Wizarding Savior arrived, Anthony, the secondary manager, worked the tables, seeing to the customers' satisfaction and comfort. As soon as Potter entered the restaurant, the manager excused himself from the table he'd been attending to and retreated immediately to the back of the restaurant, never to be seen again until Potter had finished his four hour shift. In the interim, Potter would casually flow through the restaurant, in the exact same capacity that the manager had done before he arrived, but with more subtlety, never straying from his section for too long lest it look suspicious.

Severus was baffled. He had eyed Potter's name tag, looking for something there that might suggest he was, perhaps, a floor manager of some sort, but the badge only sported his name on the same lacquered black that every other waiter wore. Finally, Severus felt he couldn't take the not-knowing any longer, and he again attempted to confront the younger wizard.

He caught up with him again near the street corner.

"You own the restaurant."

"You're a stalker," Potter replied sourly. "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought we were stating things at random."

"There's no point in denying it, Potter," Severus said a little proudly. He'd only said the first at a guess, something he seldom did, but had hoped it would open the pathway to conversation. His first attempt had gone about as well as this one seemed to be going.

"That's good, because I wasn't. What are you even doing here? Don't you have classes to teach?" Potter asked.

Severus gave a stiff shake of his head. "I left the school, actually. At the end of last term I retired from teaching to pursue my experiments."

Potter snorted humorlessly. "Good news for the Gryffindors, bad news for your Snakes. What'll they do without someone there to blindly encourage their bullying of the other Houses? They may actually have to learn how to behave in civilized society."

"I never-"

"There's no point in denying it, Snape, to use your own words."

Severus scowled, but realized he'd been caught out. There really _wasn't_ any point in denying it, anyway, not anymore. Now that he wasn't a teacher, he couldn't be brought up before the Board on charges of blatant favoritism, and endangering the lives of his students by turning a blind eye to the Slytherins' misbehavior.

"So, why _are_ you stalking me?" Potter asked, huddling into his thick winter coat as the fall air gusted at them with ice in the wind.

"I've already answered that question," Severus told him simply. There wasn't any point in denying _that_ accusation either. They both knew what he was doing, and there weren't any kinder terms for it.

"Ah, yes," Potter said mockingly. "You're _intrigued_ by me. Tell me, Snape, how exactly have I intrigued you? It's been over a decade since we first laid eyes on one another, and you never once had a kind word for me in all that time. So why now, all of a sudden, do you find me so fascinating?"

Severus faltered. The question had been put so baldly that he didn't know how to circumvent the actual answer. Potter was making a habit of forcing him to answer truthfully, and this further increased Severus' interest in the young man. Not even Albus had so thoroughly bypassed all of his lies and half-truths.

"I honestly couldn't tell you, only that you _have_ , and that I have a terrible, burning curiosity regarding who you are as a person. For your part, you've done nothing in the way of helping me satisfy this officiousness." He finally said, confounded by his inability to lie to the young man.

Potter snorted again, this time with a touch of real humor. "That must be frustrating for you. Is there a chance you'll just give up?"

"Infinitesimally small."

He received a playful smirk in response to this. "Good. I'll see you around, Snape."

And again he was gone, disapparated to Merlin-knows-where, leaving Severus to ponder the yet more beguiling younger wizard in a dark London alleyway. As he left the mouth of the alley, he discovered that they had walked a full two blocks further than they had the last time. Potter had intentionally delayed his departure in order to continue their discussion. It wasn't the coffee and conversation Severus hoped for, but it was a damned good start. In truth, he had planned to leave his curiosity to fester after this evening, expecting to get no reward for his efforts. Now that he had, small though it was, he found himself drawn inexplicably towards continuing their dance of intrigue.

 _-Break-_

Severus visited Potter's restaurant twice more, though not on consecutive days. A massive order had come in, requiring his immediate attention. On the second day he trailed after the former Gryffindor again. Their conversation was short, but for the second time Potter had extended it by walking further than the time before. The next time Severus appeared at the restaurant, he had decided that _this_ time he would ask the younger wizard to coffee, absolutely for certain, and he would not take 'no' for an answer. Unfortunately, he never got his chance…Potter was missing.

On the third shift that Potter missed, Severus cornered one of the other wait-staff.

"Where is Potter?"

Marcus shrugged against the back wall of the restaurant, where he'd been enjoying a short smoke break. "I don't know, honest. None of us have seen him in like two weeks. He hasn't shown up for any of his shifts. Josh doesn't even know where he is."

Severus snarled. "Then tell me where he lives."

"I don't know that, either."

"Then I suggest you find out," Severus sneered, pushing the young man towards the back door of the restaurant.

Marcus nodded quickly and stumbled back inside. Severus waited impatiently for nearly ten minutes before the none-too-bright waiter stumbled back out, waving a piece of paper. The Potions Master immediately snatched the type-printed address away from the sweaty palm. Marcus grinned.

"You wouldn't believe the yarn I had to spin for Josh," He said proudly.

Severus glared. "Tell it to someone who cares." He spun on his heel and walked quickly out of the alleyway.

Grimmauld. After Black's death, Severus would have put good money on Potter never wanting to return to that forsaken brownstone. But it was the only address he had, and he could only pray that it was as accurate as Josh seemed to think it.


	3. Chapter 3

Severus knocked impatiently on the door to 12 Grimmauld. The wards on the door, while not as strong as they had been during the days of the Order, were specifically designed to keep callers out unless invited inside. Otherwise, purely out of concern for the notably absent Wizarding Savior, Severus would have already turned the house inside out looking for his former student. Finally the door opened, and Potter stared out from the dim entryway. Severus immediately took note of the exhaustion that sunk the emerald green gaze.

"Snape?" Potter asked, looking astonished. "What are you doing here?"

Severus frowned. "That is not a discussion to be had on a front stoop, I think."

Potter shook his head, as if clearing it. "Yeah, right. Come in. Excuse the mess, I've been…remarkably busy, and Kreacher is getting old. I've been seriously considering Albus' suggestion of hiring Dobby as my own, but I just haven't gotten around to writing him my answer yet."

Severus followed silently, closing the door, as Potter led the way to the library. Once within, Severus closed the twin sliding doors as an added effort at privacy. The last he'd heard, Remus Lupin had been living here, and he couldn't be sure Lupin wouldn't suddenly appear to witness the minor weakness of concern he was about to address to Potter. He turned to see the young entrepreneur was sat heavily on the couch, his head in his hands. He looked even more exhausted now than he had in the shadowy sunlight at the door.

"Where have you been, Potter?"

The younger wizard looked up with a strained smile. "Here and there. I've been busy."

Severus glowered, but he hadn't expected a real answer. Potter's smirk came a little more easily.

"Were you worried, Snape?"

Severus glared even harder, a glare that had once been capable of reducing his First Years into quivering balls of defeat. Potter was utterly unaffected. He stood up quickly, as if remembering something.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? Sit down, I'll order us tea. Kreacher's getting old, but he still makes a wonderful cup of tea," Potter said, moving to a chair near the couch.

Severus moved forward as Potter began gathering the papers scattered on the chair. A single page slipped from the stack to flutter to the ground, and Severus stooped to pick it up. He glanced over the page out of mild curiosity, intending to hand it back immediately, but froze as he recognized the format. It was impossible to mistake, after staring at similar pages as his mother slowly faded under the weight of a disease not even his potions could cure.

"This is a medical bill," He gasped. His eyes flew up to stare at his former student, the dark black gaze swimming with barely concealed concern. "Are you sick?"

Potter shook his head, taking the page and stuffing it into the pile in his arms, which he placed on a low coffee table. The stack immediately slipped, spreading across the coffee table and the rug beneath it. The young man groaned and collapsed onto the couch again, his head back in his hands.

"Not me," He answered. "It's my aunt, Petunia. She has cancer. That's what I've been doing the last few weeks. Uncle Vernon is director of his company, so he can take care of most of the bills, but I've been anonymously paying for an experimental treatment that I convinced Aunt Petunia to try. I've also been running around a lot, getting things to make her hospice room more bearable to live in." Potter looked up from the floor, his face a mask of strain, hurt and confusion. "Why are you here?"

Severus sat on the edge of the seat that had been cleared for him. "As you suggested, I was worried. I have not seen you at the restaurant in more than two weeks. Is…is there anything I can do for Petunia? I imagine you have already suggested she go to St. Mungo's for the cure, and she refused."

Potter looked awestruck. "Wizards-wizards have the cure to cancer?"

Severus frowned, but nodded. "Yes. I would brew it myself, but the ingredients are not cheap, and I do not have a year to spare, nor do I know the ritual spells that must accompany the potion. St. Mungo's, however, has a regular supply of the potion, and Mediwizards, and –witches, who are specially trained in the spells."

Potter stood immediately. "I need to go, then. Maybe-maybe I can convince her to go. She couldn't possibly say no to a cure to her pain!"

Severus stood as well. "Knowing Petunia as I do, she very well could." Potter looked at him with mild surprise, and Severus realized the young man had no idea of his history with Lily Potter-nee Evans. "That is a discussion for another time, perhaps. I will, however, accompany you to the hospital. Perhaps together we might sway your aunt."

Potter gave a stiff nod and led the way to the door. Once on the front stoop, Potter grasped Severus' hand and apparated them to a darkened parking structure. The evening sun glared in-between the spaces of the car-park levels as they waited for the lift. Severus was entirely too aware of Potter's hand, which had yet to release his. He hoped, for Potter's sake, that Petunia's stubborn streak had softened with age and illness.

 _-Break-_

Severus followed Potter out of the hospital. He didn't think the young entrepreneur even knew where he was going. Pet…Severus couldn't believe her light was going out, and she would do nothing to stop it. Potter had done everything to convince her, comparing the cure to the experimental treatment he'd been paying for. The skeleton that had once been the shrewdly beautiful sister of Severus' first love had refused at every turn. Her eyes had continued to glance at her fuming husband, who Potter had silenced wandlessly almost as soon as they'd entered the aseptic hospital room, and Severus wondered if they would have had perhaps more luck if Vernon had been absent. It was too late now. She had refused, and her time was too short to hold out hope of her reconsideration.

A mile or so from the hospital, Severus sped up and grabbed Potter's hand. They stopped under the glow of a street light. Potter's hand slipped out of the loose grip, his face blank except for a mild look of hurt, as if he were lost in his own mind. The air grew heavy as a light drizzle began to drift down from the dark sky.

"Potter…"

The sound of his own name seemed to break through the internal fog. Green eyes shifted up and focused sharply. Tears sprung up in the emerald gaze almost instantly. Severus thoughtlessly brushed away the first tear to fall, causing even more to slip down a tan cheek.

"Potter," Severus said again, unsure what could be said. "I…I'm so sorry."

"Why?" The young man breathed. "Why won't she let me help her? She's dying, and she won't let me do what I can to prevent it. Why won't she just let me help?"

Severus didn't have an answer. Potter gave a light gasp of internal pain as he was dragged into a stiff embrace. It was all the answer Severus knew how to give, and he gave it without question as tan arms wrapped around his back and Potter wept against his chest. It was cold, but Severus doubted it was this that shook the young restaurateur's shoulders. He ran his hands gently over the quivering back, soothing the messy head of hair in which he'd buried his own tearful face. He could imagine the torrent of feelings racing through his former student's mind, had felt much the same when his mother had been sick. He couldn't fathom, however, the forgiveness in Potter's heart. He had seen the memories of his childhood, and could piece together the abuse he'd suffered, and yet still Potter mourned for his spitefully jealous aunt. _Still_ , Potter wanted nothing more than to help her shake free of the chains slowly dragging her towards death's cold embrace. Not for the first time, Severus marveled at the wonder that was Harry Potter, Wizarding Savior.

Potter pulled away and stared up with watery eyes that glistened in the halo of the street lamp. Severus swallowed thickly as the younger wizard rose up on his toes to engage him in an intimate, watery kiss. Severus let his eyes slip shut as he relished in the press and glide of the tender, plump lips. In spite of the tears, the kiss caused his heart to flutter in his chest. It was the most he had felt since Lily's death. He pushed the Wizarding Savior away.

"Don't," He murmured when the young man tried to press forward again. He pushed him back a step, his hands gripping solid biceps that were slick from the misty rain.

"Why?" Potter asked tentatively.

Severus sighed, looking away from the bright, hurt gaze. "You're grieving," He said gently. "You'll wake up tomorrow and regret you've even done this at all."

"What do you care?" Potter demanded, suddenly angry. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? This is why you've been stalking me, filling my days with godforsaken hope that someone out there might actually give a damn about me? It's the real reason you came looking for me when no one else did, right? So I could be your little whore?"

Severus gave the young man a sharp shake at that. "Don't you ever insult me, or yourself, with such ludicrous ideas again," He growled in warning.

Potter continued to glower at him defiantly. Severus tried to maintain the contest of wills, but his gaze slipped down to those dark lips, swollen from nervous chewing. He leaned down to brush his lips carelessly, thoughtlessly, against the barely parted lips of the Wizarding Savior. In a moment of pure insanity, the caress of the lips became a caress, and then a tangling, of tongues. The thought to stop skittered across Severus' brain, but he chose to ignore it. Instead, his hands slid upward, over tense shoulders, gliding over a tan throat, to cup a stiff jaw. Passion had set his heart aflame, and his blood boiled even as it rushed past his ears in an oceanic tidal wave of desire. Severus moved forward, and the length of their bodies brushed briefly before Potter was pulling away sharply. Calloused fingers went up to touch kiss-swollen lips as Potter backed further away. Severus' eyes widened as realization of what he'd just done surfaced in his shifting thoughts. Before he could speak, however, Potter was gone with a crack of disapparation.

Severus did not return to the restaurant after that, afraid to face his shame. He had been a fool to think a beautiful Adonis like Potter would see anything in him. The world didn't work that way, and this wasn't some fairy story where the monster finds true love in the end.


	4. Chapter 4

Potions Master Snape approached the apothecary in Diagon Alley and frowned at the crowd gathered outside. His first thought was that Philoc had gotten ahold of some rare ingredient. Only, the few people he recognized were notorious for being terrible at Potions. That was when he heard the whispering.

"Harry Potter's autograph! Can you believe it? He almost _never_ signs autographs!"

Severus scowled, and the sea of people parted as he approached. Potter looked up, a smug smirk gracing his lips. Taking his former student by the elbow, Severus began to lead Potter away from the crowd. A sharp glance behind them prevented the crowd following as they entered the apothecary.

"What do you think you're doing, Potter?" Severus hissed. He was angry, but it was more at himself for being glad to see the young man.

Potter shrugged. "Giving autographs and waiting for you. Philoc said you'd be around sometime today."

"Why-how do you know Philoc?! You're a wreck at Potions!" Severus accused shamelessly.

Potter scoffed. "Come on, Snape, you didn't think my customers kept coming back for the _service_ , did you? Not with servers like Marcus and Kaley. I get some basic ingredients from Phil every few weeks. Magical cilantro, magically treated tomatoes, you know, the basics."

"I dare not ask how you swung feeding Muggles magical food with the Ministry," Severus said distastefully.

"I, uh, know a guy in the magical plant-life office. You might remember him: Neville Longbottom? He heads the department these days, and he got me a permit. S'long as I don't poison anyone, I could serve unicorn," Potter explained.

Severus curled his lip. "That is a detestable thought."

Potter chuckled. "You know, I said the same thing to Neville."

Severus shook his head free of this ridiculous conversation. "Why are you waiting for me?"

"Oh!" Potter actually physically started. "Marcus and Kaley wouldn't quit bugging me. They miss seeing you around the restaurant. Practically begged me to come find you. In fact, half of my day crew has asked me at one point or other what it was I did to drive you away before demanding I fix whatever it was."

Severus furrowed his brow. "Bullshit."

"No, really," Potter claimed. "They like their regulars, and apparently you tip really well."

"Is that all?" Severus asked, half-hoping for more.

Potter appeared to really think about it. Then, finally: "Yep. I've done my part. Come on back to the restaurant. Lunch is on the owner any time, and the coffee is always free."

Severus pursed his lips tightly, crossing his arms over his chest. Potter waited only a hairs-breadth more than a single heartbeat before shrugging and accepting he would get no answer. He walked away into the bright sunlight shining beyond the dark apothecary, apparently unaffected by his former professor's stoicism.

 _-Break-_

Severus returned to the restaurant. He had told himself he wouldn't up until the moment he was being seated. The fact of the matter was, Slytherin though he may be, there was thrice-damned streak of gold and crimson that rousted his courage from where it slept every now and again. As promised, he was brought no check at the end of the meal that took him two hours to finish. Throughout his lunch, he watched Potter from his booth near the back. The young man seemed to take no notice of him, except for a friendly smile when he'd first walked in. Marcus, on the other hand, couldn't stop noticing him long enough to attend his other tables. Potter leant a hand more than once as Marcus fluttered happily around the Potions Master's table, being absolutely certain he had everything he could possibly need and then some.

When Severus did finally get up to leave, realizing he would get nothing from the young man who'd invited him back, he began to hate himself. He had come in the hopes that Potter would reveal his true intentions, but had obviously been wrong. The truth was plain: he had eradicated any chance he might have had when he'd kissed the young man immediately after being accused of trying to turn him into his own personal whore. Potter had come looking for him for the exact reason he'd said, and Severus knew better, now, than to hope.

"I think you might have given Marcus a heart attack if you'd stayed much longer," Potter said, coming up beside him.

Severus fought down the urge to start. "What're you-?"

"Coffee?" Potter interrupted, grinning. "I realize you probably drank your fill back there, two hours is a lot of cups of coffee, but I am absolutely dying for a nice cuppa."

Severus furrowed his brow. What the hell was Potter doing? "Alright," He agreed at last.

Potter's grin widened. "Excellent. I know just the place, not far from here if you don't mind walking a couple blocks."

"I relish the exercise," Severus said sardonically.

Potter chuckled. "That's the spirit! My aunt is doing great, by the way."

Again, Severus fought down an urge, this time to blush with embarrassment at having forgotten to inquire after Petunia in the first place. "The experimental treatment worked, I take it?"

"Huh-uh," Potter answered, still smiling. "Dudley found out -wholly by accident, I swear- that my freaky world had the cure to her disease. He went to the hospital and threw a legendary tantrum until his parents agreed to let me try. She's fully in remission now. The Mediwitch sent her home last week. She's on potions for another few months, because we waited so long, but she's completely on the mend."

Severus smirked. "We may make a Slytherin of you yet, Potter."

Potter chuckled, but Severus noticed he didn't argue. They walked to the coffee shop speaking of worldly things, and Potter's smile never faltered. Severus wondered what had changed that had brought this about. Even Potter couldn't be so scatter-brained as to have forgotten what Severus had done.

 _-Break-_

After coffee, they walked. It wasn't long before Severus looked around and recognized his settings as being Grimmauld Street. He walked Potter to the door of his inherited home, and together they wavered on the stoop. That Gryffindor streak in Severus faltered uncomfortably. Did he dare?

Potter, infinitely more Gryffindor than Severus could ever be, made the choice to close the ebbing distance between them. His lips brushed Severus' hesitantly, and then with slightly more insistence until Severus wrapped his arms around a slim waist, drawing their bodies together. Potter smiled up at him when they pulled away breathlessly.

"Why?" Severus breathed uncertainly.

Potter blushed. "I was embarrassed." He admitted. "I had just accused you of trying to make me into your whore, and then I practically threw myself at your whim when you kissed me. Your turn."

It took Severus a moment to understand that Potter was asking for an explanation of his absence at the restaurant. "I had thought…after you left that night, I thought I had made the most brash mistake. I didn't want you to hate me, so I made myself scarce lest you remember that you should."

Potter actually chuckled. "I think you've proven you're not that man you used to be. Come in? I could ask Dobby to make us dinner…or we could indulge in dessert, first, if you like."

Severus smirked down into the green gaze. "I think, perhaps, not." Potter's face fell. "I would, however, like to take you to dinner this weekend, if you are amenable."

Potter's grin returned. "You are a conundrum of a man, Severus." He placed a light kiss on Severus' lips. "I look forward to finding out how deep that well goes."

With a final kiss, they parted ways. Severus looked back at the door when he reached the concrete path at the bottom of the steps. Potter gave him one last smile before disappearing inside 12 Grimmauld. Severus turned down the street. Who needed fairy stories anyway?


End file.
